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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pitch — completely
  6. shower — rain
  7. track — a song
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a path
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mug — a face
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com